Actuating mechanism for doffing mechanism



Jan. 4, 1938.

J. K. ANDERSON 2,104,474 ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR DOFFING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 19, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR' Al ATTORNEYJI Jan. 4, 1938. J, K NDE N r 2,104,474

ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR DOFFING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 19, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Fig. 2. 179

error/v01 Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ACTUATING MECHANISM FOR DOFFING Application September 19, 1935, Serial No. 41,243 In Great Britain September 25, 1934 3 Claims. (01. 74-1 This invention has reference to apparatus for imparting to two reciprocable members a predetermined sequence of movements. The invention is more particularly designed for use in the 5 operation of the doifing mechanism of spinning,

twisting and like machines used in the production of yarns or threads. Machines of this type are old and well known. The doffing mechanism thereof usually includes lifter rails each having 10 a line of spindles thereon to receive bobbins. The dofling mechanism also includes elevating means actuable by rocking movement of a shaft to raise a lifter rail into operating position wherein the bobbins carried thereon can receive 5 yarn from the flyers, and to lower the rail from such position when the bobbins have been filled. The dofiing mechanism may also include rocking means actuable by rocking movement of another shaft to shift a lifter rail forward and rearward 20 to facilitate the replacement of a lifter rail with full bobbins by a rail with empty bobbins in the manner described, for example, in my copending application Serial No. 747,692, filed October 10, 1934. According to the present invention, appa 5 ratus is provided for imparting to said shafts suitable movements in a proper sequence for raising, lowering and shifting the lifter rails in a spinning machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide 30 interlocking mechanism by which spinning is prevented while the lifter rail is lowered, and lowering of the rail is prevented while spinning is in progress.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings which 5 are illustrative of my invention:-

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of sufficient of the framework of a machine to show the mounting thereon of my improved devices.

Fig. 2 is a plan of certain of the framework of 4 the machine showing my improved hand operated and other devices mounted thereon.

Fig. 3 is a similar end elevation to Fig. 1, the same being drawn to a smaller scale in order to show the application of my improved devices in 45 connection with the lifter mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a view of certain of the parts shown by Fig. 3 as seen from left to right of said figure.

Figs. 5 and 6 are side views showing the formation of a separate cam surface on each side of 50 a disc common to both.

The cam surface on one side of the disc is employed for one purpose and that on the other for another purpose, as is hereinafter explained.

A indicates a portion of the end frame of a 55 machine such as a spinning machine of the type wherein traversing movement is imparted to the bobbins, relative to the fiyers, to deposit yarn on the bobbins in orderly layers. The bobbins and lifter rails may be of any desired construction as well known in the art, and are not illustrated on the drawings. For raising and lowering the lifter rails, a chain 6 is paid out from and wound up on a drum I43, the motions of the chain being transmitted to the lifter rails by any suitable connecting mechanism which may include a rock shaft 8 such as is illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. Mechanism for rocking the shaft 8 so as to impart traversing movement to the lifter rail is shown in Figure 3, such mechanism including a rotatable cam 2 which rocks a lever arm 3 connected by a rod 3a to a bracket 4 secured by means of a bracket |2c to a lever 5 which is rockable on a shaft 5a journaled in a bearing 9 on the main frame A. The bracket I also carries a shaft Me on which is mounted the rotatable drum Mb. 20 This drum is held against rotation during the spinning operation. From the drum Mb the chain 6 leads to a drum 1 on the shaft 8. Oscillation of the arm 3 by rotation of the cam 2 results in oscillation of the arm 5 and rocking movements of the shaft 8 of sufficient amplitude to impart traversing movements to the bobbins (not shown). According to the invention, mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the lifter rails for dofiing, without interfering with the traversing mechanism.

The shaft 5a is arranged to have loosely mounted upon ita chain wheel ill, the chain lila from which takes around another chain wheel II mounted loosely upon a fixed stud I la that is 5 secured to the end frame A of the machine.

, The chain wheel II which revolves loosely on the stud II a is fixed to the hub of a hand wheel l I?) (shown in broken lines) so that as said hand wheel is manually rotated, by the attendant, motion is transmitted to the chain wheel [0 by means of the chain Illa.

Pivoted upon this chain wheel I0 is a pawl lllb which, by the actions of a spring, engages with the teeth of a ratchet wheel lllc that is keyed upon the shaft 5a, so that a bevel wheel lDd (also fixed upon the shaft 5a) may mesh or gear with another bevel wheel l2 which is fixed upon so as to transmit motion to a shaft 12a carried by a bracket l2c fixed upon the lever 5, and the pivoted end I2b of said lever 5.

Mounted to slide upon the shaft 12a is a clutch coupling Hi, the mounting of said coupling being such that the rotary motions transmitted thereto will be imparted to the shaft l2a while yet the clutch member shaft.

Adjacent to the clutch coupling l3 are mounted bevel wheels Ba and l3b which, while being loosely mounted upon the said shaft l2a, may derive their motion from said shaft [2a by the engagement of same with the clutch coupling H! as is hereinafter explained.

The loosely mounted bevel wheels Ba and l3b are both made to gear with a bevel wheel I30 which is mounted upon a bracket supported by l3 may slide freely upon said the lever 5.

'On the hub of the wheel l3b is fixed a worm I l which gears or meshes with a worm wheel Ma fixed upon so that it may thereby rotate the chain drum Mb.

The clutch coupling l3 which is splined upon the shaft lZa is arranged to be moved and retained in position by a fork lever l5 which is pivoted upon the frame A so that its lower' end may be connected by a connecting rod 25b to a cam actuated lever l 5b which is operated by cam and other mechanism as is hereinafter explained.

The cam lever i511 has its bowl I50 operated by a cam lEd (the cam surface l5w of which is shown by Fig. 6) mounted upon a shaft [6 which is pivoted at one end upon the end frame A and at the other end upon a bracket [6a. On this shaft I6 is also fixed another cam H, the cam surface l'lw (Fig. 5) of which is arranged to operate a bowl. Ila pivoted on the'upper end of a lever I'lb which reaches for its lower end to be connected by a link We to a lever I8 which is fixed upon the oscillating shaft Illa upon which are mounted the lifter rail exchanging-members of the dofiing motion of the machine (not shown) said lifterrail-members being preferably of the type shown and described in the specification of my concurrent application for Letters Patent in the United States, Serial No. 747,692, so also are the order and mechanism and method of operating said members of the type explained in the same specification.

Although I herein refer to said dofiing mecha nism as being the dofling mechanism to which I applymy invention, it is obvious that I might make use of the same method of operating other devices by changing the character of the cam surfaces on the cams i512 and l 7 hereinbefore described.

The rotary motions of the cam I! are derived from the manually operated shaft 5a. hereinbefore referred to, and this I effect by a bevel wheel I!) (fixed upon the shaft 5a) meshing with another bevel wheel I90". fixed upon the horizontal shaft l9b, in order that this horizontal shaft l9?) may extend to have a worm I90 fixed upon it to mesh with a worm wheel I Set that is fixed upon so as to be able to rotate the cam l1 which is mounted loosely upon the shaft l6, and this cam I1 is the cam which operates the lever l1b hereinbefore described. 7

Fixed to and to the rear of the cam I7 is the other cam |5d which, as is stated, operates the lever [5b so as to actuate the clutch member IS in manner hereinafter described.

In order to carry out the process of dofiing by the operations of the mechanism hereinbefore described the attendant will rotate the hand wheel II b in a clockwise direction. This movement of the wheel Hb will transmit motion through the chain wheel H and chain Illa to the wheel H10, and this wheel I 60, by running-loosely upon the shaft 50,, can only transmit motion to said shaft 5min the direction stated, by reason of the pawl lilb which is pivoted upon the side of the wheel If engaging with the teeth of the ratchet wheel lilo fixed upon the shaft 5a. Consequently, anyone rotating the hand wheel Hb in the opposite direction to that stated will have no effect on any of the mechanism for carrying out the process of doffing, since the pawl lfib will slide freely over the teeth of the ratchet wheel I00.

The motions of the shaft 5a are transmitted (through the bevel wheel lOd fixed thereon) to the bevel wheel l2, so that this bevel wheel i2 will rotate the shaft [2a.

The motions of the shaft [2a will then be transmitted in such a direction as the clutch member l3 may effect under the control of the cam d as is hereinbefore explained. The drum Mb is thus driven by the shaft l2a in one direction or the other, or is idle, according to the position of the clutch member l3 as determined by the cam I510. The shaft l8a is rockeddirectly through actuation of the bowl Ila by the cam llw. By suitably shaping the cams I510 and I 1w, various combinations and sequences of rocking movements of theshafts 8 and lta. can be had. For example, these shafts may be so rocked as to carry out the proper sequence of movements of carrier for raising and lowering the lifter rails and the mechanism for shifting lowered lifter rails forward and rearward, incidental to dofilng operations. Thus, the worm l4 may be rotated in a direction to cause the drum [4b to pay out the lifter chain 6, which is normally coiled thereon, to lower the bobbin supporting rails in the spinning machine, and such lowering will continue until the clutch member is again removed from transmitting motion from the shaft l 2a when the lifter rail will have passed below the members of the well known doffing apparatus and will have received the rails carried by the full bobbins that have been discharged from the spindles, and said rails will remain in said position upon the supporting members of the machine until other actions take place as follows.

In the position stated the cam 1520 will have carried the bowl l5c from the position shown in broken lines Fig. 6 to a position where the part of the cam surfaces C of said cam will have moved said bowl in order to cause the clutch member 3 to be brought centrally between the clutch teeth of the bevel wheels Isa and i3!) where the motions of the shaft I 211 will cease to transmit motion to said wheels and therefore to the worm l4.

' During the rotary motions of the hand wheel as above described and for transmitting motion to the shaft 5a as stated, the shaft 5a will have transmitted motion through the bevel wheel l9 to the bevel wheel lSa which is fixed upon the shaft I927, and therefore said shaft I9b will have transmitted motion through the Worm We and worm wheel Kid and the cams l5d and I7.

As is stated, during such motion the cam [5d will have moved the clutch member l3 to its idle position. At the same time motion of the cam I? will have brought the cam surface D of said cam away from supporting the bowl Ila which it operates, so that same will have operated the lever llb to rock the shaft i811 and thereby to shift the receiving members for the lifter rails in the spinning frame to receive said rails and their full bobbins as is hereinbefore described. Immediately after thus receiving said bobbins the part D of the cam surface of the cam II will be operating the bowl lla. to carry the lever from its extreme position shown in Fig. 1 to the opposite position'where it will adjust the lifter rail supporting members in their most forward positions at the front of the machine where they will retain said lifter rails and their full bobbins. And simultaneously with said adjustment the said movements-will have also brought forward other lifting rails for the spinning machine provided with empty bobbins so that same are brought into position for their operating and traversing members belonging to the traversing members of the spinning machine to raise said empty bobbins and their spindles into the spinning positions.

The liftingor raising of the bobbin supporting rails as described is carried out by reason of the cam ltd having brought its cam surfaces C to act upon the bowl G50 in order to cause theshaft 20. to revolve in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrows G shown in Figs. 5 and 6. and these rotations of the shaft l2a will cause the drum Mb to raise the lifter rails and their bobbins back to their operating positions hereinbefore described.

In order to avoid the possibility of accidental operation of the cam wheels HM and I1, and the mechanism driven or controlled thereby, during a spinning operation, I provide interlocking devices as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The drive of the spinning mechanism is controlled through a starting lever H which moves an idle pulley M to tighten a loose belt 4! by which power may be transmitted to drive the spinning mechanism. When the lever H is raised, the belt is loose and the spinning mechanism is not driven. The lever H may be locked in its elevated position by a lug 32 mounted on a rocking lever which is pivoted at 3Ia and which carries at its other end another locking lug 30 adapted to enter notches K and K in the periphery of the disks i541 and H. When either of these notches is opposite the lug 30, the lever 3i may be rocked by the handle 33 to move the lug 3t into a notch, at the same time releasing the lever H which can then be depressed to start the spinning. As indicated in Figure 3, the depressed lever H is in the path of the lug 32 so that the lever 3i? cannot be rocked to release the cam wheel while spinning is in progress.

On reaching this position the starting handle H of the driving mechanism of the machine may be moved into its position shown in full lines Fig. 3 so that the spinning operations commence and the threads which extend from the full bobbins (situated at the front of the machine as before stated? will be paid out from said bobbins and for a certain number of revolutions of the flyers will be wound upon the empty bobbins situated to receive same, and when the desired number of coils have been thus put upon the empty bobbins the thread extending from the full bobbins would be severed by the attendant who may then allow the spinning frame to continue its motions, while the cams EM and i! still remain in such positions as to allow the sets of lifter rails having the full bobbins to have same removed and empty bobbins substituted for said full bobbins thereof, after which the attendant may then move the hand wheel lib and so cause the cams I511 and H to ire-adjust the supporting members for the lifter rails to the rearmost positions in the machine, and, when the lifter mechanism is so adjusted, said rails will remain ready for the next doffing operation to be performed As means for preventing the doffing mechanism of the spinning frame being interfered with during the effective motions of the said spinning frame, a sliding locking stud 30 (Figs. 3 and 4) is fixed upon a vertical lever 3| pivoted at Ma on a bracket fixed to the end frame A, so that a projecting member 32 fixed on the lower end'of the lever 3| may be retained clear of the starting lever H and remains there during all effective operations of the spinning ma chine. However, by said projections 32 remaining opposite the body part of the lever H, during said operations of the machine it prevents the lever 3| from being moved by the handle 33, and therefore said lever will retain the locking stud 30 within the notch K or K formed in the peripheries of the cams l5d and I1. Hence, during the motions of the machine the attendant cannot actuate the hand wheel lib in the right direction for moving any part of the doifi'ng engaging mechanism described.

When the attendant desires to carry out the process of dofiing the starting handle H is raised so that the projection 32 may be placed below said starting handle H as is shown by Fig. 3. Thus the cams l5d and I! will be liberated when the handle 33 is pushed and the hand starting lever will be locked so that the starting of the machine into action during the operating of the mechanism for carrying out the process of dofiing, is prevented.

The notches K and K in the cams lid and H are to enable the attendant to place the locking stud 39 in the notch K to lock the dofling motion against being actuated by the attendant, and simultaneously to remove the projection 32 from interfering with the free movements of the starting handle H. The attendant may then operate the handle H and start the machine into spinning action to wind the threads on to the empty bobbin where they are then cut to sever them from the full bobbins in known manner. The spinning operations may then proceed for a period as desired, and the attendant, during such operations, will be enabled to remove the full bobbins and substitute the empty bobbins as above described, after which the attendant will then operate the handle H and arrest the motions of the machine so that he may then, by the handle 33, disengage the dofiing motion to permit the attendant again to operate the hand wheel Ill) and complete the full dofiing operations by moving the cams I5d and I"! back to their initial positions where he may then again operate the handle 33 and lock the cams 15d and I! by placing the locking stud 30 in the notch K after which he may start the machine into action and complete the spinning operations.

Such being the nature and object of my invention, what I claim is:--

1. In a machine of the kind described having power driven mechanism, a starting lever for controlling the drive of said mechanism, and two reciprocable members; apparatus for imparting movements to said members in a predetermined sequence, and means for interlocking said starting lever and apparatus so that when either is operative the other is locked against operation.

2. In a machine of the kind described having power driven mechanism, a starting lever for controlling the drive of said mechanisms, and two reciprocable members; apparatus for imparting movements to said members in a predetermined sequence, and means for interlocking said starting lever and apparatus so that when either is operative the other is locked against operation, said apparatus comprising a driving element, a cam wheel with two cams thereon driven by said element, cam followers for said respective cams, means operably connecting one of said members to oneof said followers to be actuated by movements thereof, means including a reversing gear connecting said driving element to the other said member, and means actuated by the other said cam follower to control said reversing gear, said interlocking means including a lug movable into engagement with said cam wheel to prevent movement thereof.

3. Apparatus for operating a pair of reciprocable members of a dofiing mechanism for spinning machines or the like, comprising a frame, a shaft bearing fixed on said frame, a shaft journaled in said bearing, means actuable to rotate said shaft, a rotatable cam member having two cams thereon, driving connections between said ing said lever by which the drum is carried or 10 by rotating the drum, cam followers for said cams, means actuated by one of said cam followers for reciprocating the other of said reciprocable members, control means for said reversing gear actuated by the other said cam fol- 15 lower, and means for rocking said lever.

JAMES KEITH ANDERSON. 

